What Lies Beneath
by BornToBeAGingerArcher
Summary: When Dick asks Jason to come to Jump City, he reluctantly agrees. But neither of them is aware of the powerful enemy that lies in wait. Slade has found his new apprentice, and his name is Jason Todd.
1. Introduction

Welcome to my first multi-chaptered story! I know what you're all thinking. "But Archer, aren't there like 3,000 apprentice fics?" Why yes, yes there are, but this one will (hopefully) be different. How you ask? Shhh, no spoilers. You're just going to have to read it to find out.

Disclaimer: I don't do smut or slash. I also don't write graphic violence and try to avoid torture. However, this is rated T is for a good reason. This may get quite disturbing during the fight/punishment chapters, especially towards the end of the story. Reader's Discretion is advised.

Disclaimer #2: I feel as though I forgot something. Oh yeah! All these characters belong to DC. I own nothing but the story line.

POV: This is going to be a third-person view switching between Dick and the other ex-Titans, Tim, Damian, Jay, Slade, and a bit of Bruce. I hope it doesn't get too confusing.

Genre: Action, Angst, Family, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, and Possible Romance.

Pairings: Dick/Kori, Gar/Rachel, and maybe a bit of TimSteph.

Further instruction: I mayyyyyy make a sequel if the demand is there, I have the time, and/or the story allows it. If anyone is OOC please, please let me know. Please be patient with me. I haven't written this start to finish yet, so if I mess up, please tell me, for everyone's sake. "Ugh, long author's notes are horrible, especially if the story hasn't started yet." I hear ya and I'm shutting it. Please grab a drink, some popcorn, and a loved one and enjoy….

 **What Lies Beneath**

 **Chapter One: Introduction**

 **Midnight PST, July 29** **th** **, 2011**

"Help me! Someone please help me!" _Ugh. This is embarrassing. I shouldn't be here. How did I let myself get caught?_ "Help! I've been kidnapped." Jason screamed as he writhed in the handcuffs.

"Stop it, Jason! I've already told you that screaming isn't going to help."

 _Slade. Nightwing told me how Slade kidnapped him and tried to force him to become his apprentice. I can't I was dumb enough to fall into his trap. If I knew this was going to happen I never would've come to Jump."_

 **8 A.M. EST, July 26, 2011**

It was a normal morning for Jason. He woke up, got dressed, and took his motorbike down to the local diner to grab breakfast. As he ate, he felt his phone ring in his pocket. He looked at the caller ID. _Nightwing. What could he want?_ He answered it.

"Hi, Jay." He heard the familiar voice of Dick.

 _Jay. I haven't been called that in a long time._

"Oh, look who's not too good to call the Prodigal Son." Jason snapped, struggling to keep frustration and anger out of his voice.

He hadn't spoken to Dick since he became Red Hood, though, whether it was out of pride or embarrassment, he wasn't sure.

"Jason, we need to talk. Crime in Jump City's gone way up since I became Nightwing. I would ask Tim or Damian, but I know they're both busy. Please come as soon as you can."

"Why don't you ask one of your Titan friends?"

"Cy's away on a business trip, Raven and Beast Boy are visiting Raven's mother in another dimension, and Kori's seven months pregnant."

"I'd love to help, but I'm busy too."

"Jay, I know you've got your own thing going on, and we don't exactly get along…." He trailed off.

 _Didn't get along was an understatement. I've disliked Dick from the day I replaced him. Batman had constantly talked about how great Dick was and I always felt inadequate. Like I was Bruce's second choice._

"Jay? Are you still there?"

Jason quickly snapped out of his reverie. "Yeah. I'm here."

"Good. I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, but I need you. You're my only hope."

"Fine, I'll do it." Jason groaned. 

"Great! How soon can you come?"

"At least let me finish eating. I should be there by Thursday."

"Thanks. Call me once you're in Jump."

"Will do. See you then."

"See you then."

Jason sighed as he put the phone back into his pocket. Today _had been_ a normal day. Too bad Dick had to go and ruin it for him.

He paid for his food and went back to his apartment. He wasn't going to miss this place much; it was small, dark, and messy. Still, it was home.

 _Who knows when I'll be back here? If I make it back, that is._

Jason hated to admit it, but a part of him was scared. Jump City might not be as bad as Gotham, but there were still dangerous criminals. He remembered all the stories Dick told him about fighting villains. Almost made him nostalgic for the days when he fought alongside Batman. Almost.

The rest of his "family" might not understand his choice to become Red Hood, but he knew this was what he was meant to be. It was _his_ life, dang it! They had no right to tell him what to do!

He packed as quickly as he could, not wanting to lose his temper again. He had broken his hand several times punching through walls. Jason shuddered as he remembered the sound of snapping bones and the intense pain that passed through his arm. He didn't want to injure himself again. He couldn't afford to, not now.

 _Innocent people are getting hurt. I'm not doing it for Golden Boy. I'm doing it to save lives._

He took his small suitcase and secured it to his bike.

 _See ya later, new life. Hello, old life._

As he rode away, he had a nagging feeling that he wouldn't be back for a very long time.

 **End note:** How was that?I know it was super, duper short. I divided my first chapter into two because it was too crammed before I split it. I'll put the second chapter up on Monday.


	2. Complications

**Disclaimer** : Roses are red, violets aren't blue, I don't own these characters, and neither do you.

 **Chapter Two:**

Complications

 **5 p.m. PST, July 28** **th** **, 2011**

Jump City. It was a lot different from the way Dick described it. Jason had imagined a large, bustling city that was busy by day and deadly by night. Instead, what he saw was what he considered a large town or at the very most a very small borough. It was busy and prosperous-looking, he'd give it that, but it paled in comparison to Gotham.

 _Leave it to Dick to exaggerate everything._

Jason groaned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. As much as he didn't want to call Dick, Jason knew that he needed Dick's help as much as Dick needed his.

*ring*

*ring*

 _Hmm. Maybe he's not there. Oh well._

"Hello?"

 _Oh crap! He's picking up._

"Hi Dick. I'm just at the city limits."

"Great! I'll see you in 10."

"Aren't you going to give me your address?" Jason questioned.

 _It wasn't like Dick to not be as helpful as possible. It was one of the few things I actually like about him._

"Oh. I thought a giant T-shaped Tower would be pretty darn conspicuous." Dick teased.

 _Now he's being sarcastic? Who is this and what have they done with my pain-in-the-butt brother? I guess I've rubbed off on him as much as he's rubbed off on me._

"Can you at least give me a general location?"

"We're on a tiny island in the south-west part of the city. Use your smarts to find it."

"Ugh, fine! I'll see you in 15."

"Okay. Bye!"

"See ya."

 _Darn it Dick! Why did you choose the worst possible time to not be useful?_

Jason hopped back on his bike and began heading towards the Tower, cursing Dick all the way.

It took him a while, but he finally found the Tower. He walked up to the door and knocked. But it wasn't Dick who answered.

"Jason! Hi! Dick has told me so much about you." Kori said excitedly as she pulled Jason into a hug. Even though she was pretty delicate looking, except for her swollen stomach, Jason couldn't help but think that she was one of the strongest people, er- aliens he had ever met.

"Hi Kori. Sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding. I'm surprised a goofball like Dick was able to snag such a cutie."

Kori reddened with embarrassment, but still remained friendly. "Come in. Dick is not here right now, but he should back soon. What have you being doing lately?"

"Not much, just trying to keep things in my city interesting." Jason said as he looked around the tower. It was spacious and clean; Jason could tell that they had made sure that everything was perfect for his visit.

"That sounds most fascinating." Kori said as she motioned for Jason to sit down next to her on the couch. "Dick tells me that you were Robin at one point. Why are you not Robin anymore?"

 _I guess Dick didn't tell her_ _ **everything**_ **.**

"Um. Well, I….. I died."

"Oh! I am sorry. I-I had no idea that that had happened." Kori colored and blanched repeatedly and Jason could tell she felt very remorseful, as if it was her fault that he had been murdered.

"I'm here now. That's all that matters. You have a nice home. I wish I could afford something like this." Jason said, trying desperately to change the subject.

"Oh, you are too kind! Dick and I have changed many things since we first moved in. It was a "labor of love." That is the expression, is it not?"

Jason laughed. "Yes, Kori. You're right."

"I am glad. I am still not entirely familiar with English." She paused as she as heard a knock at the door. "Oh, glorious! My husband has returned home safely! Let me go talk to him. Feel free to explore our home as you wish."

He watched as Kori went over to Dick and kissed him gently. She told Dick that Jason had been waiting for him. When Dick saw his brother, he ran to give Jason a hug. Jason dodged the "attack." He still hadn't forgiven Dick for not accepting his decisions. His anger had been growing over the last few days and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Hi, Jaybird! It's so great to see you after all this time."

"Hi, Dick. How have you been?" Jason asked disinterestedly.

"Pretty good. I'm happy with my life. How have you been?"

"Why do you care?" Jason snapped.

"Why wouldn't I care? I'm your brother and your friend."

"No. You stop being my brother a long time ago. And you were never my friend."

"Woah, Jason. Where is this hostility coming from? What did I say to make you so angry?"

"You of all people should know!" Jason snarled, frustrated that Dick had no idea of his pain.

"Know what? Talk to me."

"You never had to go through what I have. You have a great job, a beautiful wife, and a great house. You had always had a family; Bruce loved you and treated you as an equal. Meanwhile, I had to resort to stealing; I was an eleven year-old child living on my own. My mother died of a drug-overdose, my father abandoned me. I'm living in a tiny, dank apartment and my life is going nowhere."

"Oh, is that what this is about?" Dick's tone darkened. "You want my pity? Fine Jason, I feel bad for you. You had a hard life. But you rose above it. Stop dwelling in the past. Your pity parties are neither pleasant nor necessary."

"I don't want your pity." Jason spat. "I want to know what makes you so dang special. Why everybody loves you and doesn't give a darn about me."

"Jason, stop! Not everything's about you."

"No. Everything's about YOU. You've always been considering a freakin' hero. What am I?"

"You're acting like a child. Calm down!"

"I'm leaving. I'm tired of living in your shadow. I'm going to go fight crime on my own. And you know what, Golden Boy? I'm going to do it better than you ever can." Jason shouted as he stormed out of the Tower.

"Fine!" Dick yelled after him. "I'm only trying to make sure you stay safe. Go and get kidnapped, see if I care!"

Jason, thoroughly enraged, jumped into the tiny dingy, rowed to shore and hopped on his bike.

 _I hope I never have to see him again. I hate him. I hate him and his stupidly perfect life._

 **8 P.M PST, July 28** **th** **, 2011**

Jason was still mentally cursing everything about Dick when he ran over a thin old man who was robbing a bank. In his anger and disgust, he almost didn't stop to make sure the man was okay. Jason found it odd that he wasn't scared in the least.

The man jumped up and shouted, "No one can defeat the Amazing Mumbo!" He began running towards the bay; Jason quickly regained his senses and chased him. Mumbo stopped running and started pelting Jason with cards. Jason dodged his attacks and tackled Mumbo to the ground.

"Give it up Mumbo. I've captured you. There's no getting away." Jason said triumphantly.

"What you don't know, young man, is that I've got one last trick up my sleeve. Literally!" Mumbo laughed as he sprayed something in Jason's face.

 _No. Knock-out gas! I can't fall asleep. Come on Jason, stay awake! So drowsy._

As Jason was drifting off, he saw Mumbo arguing with someone.

"What are you doing?" Mumbo questioned a tall heavyset man with blond hair. He was bending over Jason and examining him, feeling for a pulse and checking for injuries.

"I'm taking him to my father. He's had his eye on Mr. Todd for some time. I was afraid you had actually done some serious damage to him. Father wants him in perfect health."

"Who…. Who are you?" Mumbo asked nervously.

"I am Grant Wilson." He said matter-of-factly. Then he picked up Jason's now-limp body and strode away into the night.

 **End Note:** Oh snap! I wasn't planning on adding Grant to the story, but I knew Slade needed a henchman. I was thinking about using Rose, but I ended deciding that I could use Grant later on in the story for something. (But I obviously can't tell you guys what it is yet, now can I?) Please let me know if anyone is OOC or anything like that. I also upped the font size for those who don't have great vision (I know I certain don't.) It's so fun writing Jay angst, but it also makes me a little sad. I guess I'm going to have to get used to it. Muahahahaha. *ahem* Anyways, reviews are appreciated!

 **Important Note:** I am going to the beach next week, and I don't know when I'll be able to post next. Tentatively, the next chapter is going to be up Monday, September 14th, but it might be a few days sooner or later than that. Please don't get upset if I a day late, I'm coming back on the previous day and I might be too tired. Thanks! You guys rock my socks!


	3. Triumph

**A/N:** Hello! I'm back! I'm terribly sorry about the huge break. Life got kinda crazy, I'm starting to plot out some Batman fics, and I've had writers' block for about 2 weeks. Just know that I don't really have a schedule for the story, but I will not abandon it unless absolutely necessary. Welcome to the third installment of _What Lies Beneath._ I hope you have enjoyed reading it thus far. This chapter isn't going to be super, duper action packed or long, but trust me, it's about to get crazy up in here. When we last left our (anti) hero, he had just been knocked out by Mumbo and taken to Slade by Grant.

Disclaimer: I still do not own these characters. Maybe someday…..

 **Chapter Three** : Triumph

 **10 P.M. PST, July 28** **th** **, 2011**

 _Huh? Wh-where the heck am I?_ Jason wondered as he looked around. A thick darkness blanketed the entire room and made it impossible to determine much of anything. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was tied to a chair. _This seems a little_ _déjà_ _vu-ish to me._ Jason thought, trying desperately to keep himself calm. _It's bad enough that I left my anxiety medication behind, but why the heck didn't I bring one of my knifes? Oh that's right, Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes insisted I left them at home. He said something about "hurting the criminals," like that's a big deal. I mean we're fighting them for reason aren't we? Ugh, I hate him!_ Just as he was reaching the climax of his anger, he heard footsteps. He froze with fear, unsure if he would survive this encounter. He saw someone approaching, but he or she wasn't close enough for him to determine who it was.

"Good evening, Mr. Todd," the figure said calmly.

"Who are you? Why did you kidnap me? What do you want?"

"Patience, Jason. All will be revealed soon enough."

"What are you going to do with me?"

"I have great things in mind for you, Jason. Trust me."

" **Trust** you?" Jason scoffed. "I don't even know who you are. How can I trust someone who too cowardly to show their face?"

"If this is so important to you, I suppose it wouldn't hurt my plan." The figure said as he walked out of the shadows. He was a tall, well-built man wearing an entire suit of armor, including an orange and black mask.

"Slade?! You're supposed to be dead!" Jason shouted incredulously.

"That makes two of us, Jason. Or should I say Robin II? Or maybe Red Hood?" Slade added with a cold, mirthless chuckle.

Jason began flailing about, desperately trying to find a way to escape his restraints. Had it been nearly anyone else, he wouldn't have been so consumed with fear. Heck, even if it had been the likes of Two Face, he would have a 50 percent chance of living. But Jason had heard stories of what Slade was capable of. Of all the people he had ruthlessly slaughtered.

"Help! Someone, please help! I'm being held hostage here!"

"We're so far from civilization I could kill you before they even figure out you're gone."

Jason's face fell. _I guess the idea of being rescued is out of the question._

"Is that why you kidnapped me? So you could kill me?"

"Don't be ridiculous! If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it the second you reached Jump."

"What **do** you want then? Money? I don't have any of that; ol' Bruce disowned me years ago. Power? I thought you were one the most powerful people in Jump. _But maybe I was wrong_." Jason hoped that Slade hadn't heard that jab. He was in a pretty bad situation as it was.

Slade laughed that bone-chilling laugh again. "No, no. What I want is much better than that. I want you to become my apprentice."

"What makes you think that I'd ever work for a creep like you?"

"We're not so different, Mr. Todd. I know you're not afraid to get your hands dirty. To use violence to get what you want."

"At least I **try** to help people. You use your power to hurt innocents and ruin lives. You're nothing but a cold-blooded murderer!"

"Ah, ah, ah, Jason. I wouldn't be so harsh." Slade twisted Jason's arm behind his back, nearly breaking it. Jason flailed around, trying to get his other arm free to hit Slade. "I see you have fight in you; Dick never had that passion, that righteous fury. He might have been a good fighter, but was so inadequate."

"Dick may be a jerk sometimes, but I know for a **fact** that he is a hundred times the man that you could ever be!" Jason spat between his clenched teeth.

"Is that a fact? Well, **I** know that he's not as great as you think."

"I don't give a darn what you think. You can bad mouth my brother all you want; he's still a hero to me. And I'm not going to be your apprentice, so let me **go**!"

"You'll do whatever I want you to. Because I'm in control, Jason, not you. And even if you did escape, there's nowhere to go."

"You may be right, but I will not work for you. You can do horrific things to me; I'm not going to crack. Trust me buddy, no matter what you do, I've seen worse."

Slade began walking away, glancing menacingly over his shoulder at Jason. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

 **End Note:** Woo hoo! Another chapter bites the dust. I know it's like 90% dialogue, but I wasn't sure how to handle their first meeting. Baring death threats, any comments, no matter how harsh are appreciated. I really base how the story goes on your idea, so don't hesitate to share. Also, do you guys know how to format this well; no matter what, it always shows up in a weird format for me.


	4. A New Beginning

**A/N:** Hello again. I know I'm very slow to update and I feel very, very sad about that. I'm going to be writing a whole bunch during my week off. I hope you're having a good time so far. (I know Jason isn't.) Anyways, this chapter is kinda slow, just establishing a couple things. Questions, comments, and suggestions are always welcome.

 **Disclaimer** : Do you really think a 17-year-old owns DC? Nope, I don't.

 **Chapter Four:** A New Beginning

 **3 a.m. PST, July 29** **th** **, 2011**

 _Where is he taking me?_ Jason had been untied, but Slade hadn't removed his handcuffs. He knew it was because Slade didn't want him to try to fight back. He was being led by his captor into a spacious but dark set of rooms in the basement of the warehouse. He assumed that this is where Slade had been hiding after faking his death. He was amazed at how nice Slade had made the place look. It wasn't as nice as Wayne Manor, but it still gave the appearance of wealth. The main hall was lined with thick, rich carpeting and rare artifacts hung on the walls. Slade led him to a room near the end of the lush hall.

"This, Jason, is your bedroom," Slade said as he opened the double doors. Jason was shocked. It was large and cozy-looking, with a massive four-poster bed and large windows on one of the walls, the view overlooking the bay. Once he got over his initial shock, however, he dropped into a pit of melancholy and hopelessness. _I'm never going to be able to get out of here. I'm going to have to work for that freak and kill innocent people._ He flopped onto the bed and instantly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

*bang*

*bang*

Jason wearily picked his head up. _Can't this wait?_

He was about to go back to sleep when he remembered where he was.

 _Crap. He's killing someone, isn't he?_

Jason shot out of bed, pulled on some clothes and ran into the warehouse, adrenaline coursing through his body. He crashed through the doors to the warehouse.

"Oh, good morning, Jason," Slade said. Jason looked around. Fortunately, though Slade _was_ holding a gun, there was no one else about, dead or alive.

"What the heck is going on?! And at," he looked at his watch, "4:30 in the morning!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the large space.

"You'll soon learn that I like to get up early. I am expecting you to do the same."

"So you're going wake me up every morning by giving me a heart attack?"

"No, no. I merely thought that target practice would be a good way to start your training."

"What makes you think that I want train?" Jason grumbled.

"It will be much harder to be a good assassin if you don't practice."

"You can keep me here, you can yell and scream all you want, but like I said last night, I will not be your apprentice." He struggled to keep his tone even, wavering between rage, disgust, and fear.

"You're afraid of me."

"No, I'm not," Jason said indignantly.

"I've had enough of this nonsense. You **will** train and you **will** be my apprentice. Now pick up that gun."

"Fine," Jason mumbled. He didn't want to get on Slade's bad, er, **worse** side. "But it's going to be difficult with these on my wrists." He motioned to the handcuffs.

"You seem to have calmed down. But be warned, I will do worse to you if you act up again." He removed the handcuffs; Jason could tell that his wrists were beginning to swell from all his struggling.

He found the gun laying on the floor and picked it up. It was small, but solid. It wasn't quite a rifle, but was too big to be a handgun.

"What is this? I've never seen anything like it."

"I made it myself. When I was in the army, I learned how to craft guns, and over the years I have perfected the art. It can shoot over 300 yards with pinpoint accuracy and it only weighs about 7 pounds."

"I'm impressed. I thought all you knew how to do was kill people and ruin lives."

"Isn't that the point of a gun?" Slade asked, and Jason couldn't help but notice a slight amount of amusement in his tone.

"I guess." Jason said as he shrugged. _But I used mine to help people._ "I'm quite a dead shot."

"Ah, yes, I've heard. But your skills can be honed, refined. Shoot that target right there."

He pondered whether he should shoot Slade and try to escape, but quickly determined that that plan was doomed to fail. He was sure that there was no way he could pierce Slade's armor. Besides, Slade was a much more adept fighter and would have Jason on the ground before he knew what was happening. He decided to obey Slade, at least until he could formulate a better exit strategy.

Jason leveled his gun and fired. He wasn't used to using such a heavy weapon; his shot hit the very edge of the target. He mentally cursed and readjusted his aim. This time, the bullet was millimeters from the bull's-eye.

"Jason. That was…. disappointing."

Jason bit back an acrid retort and merely sighed. "What were you expecting? I did the best I could. It takes time to adjust to using a different gun. But, fine, what did I do wrong?"

"You didn't correct quickly enough; you hesitated. By the time you fired the second time, your target would've been long gone. Watch me."

Slade picked up another gun, leveled it, and rapidly fired off five shots, all hitting the very center of the target.

"You will continue practicing until I am satisfied, even if it takes all day."

"Whatever gets this over with the fastest."

 **4 p.m. PST, July 29** **th** **, 2011**

 _Well, this sucks,_ Jason thought irritably as he fired off what felt like the thousandth round that day. Slade had repeatedly expressed his displeasure with his marksmanship.

"Again."

"What did I do wrong **this** time?" Jason groaned. He couldn't take much more of this. He hadn't eaten since his arrival in Jump and his blood sugar was dangerously low. "I'm hungry, I'm tired, and my ears are ringing."

"Okay. We are finished for today. **But** don't be surprised when training begins half an hour earlier tomorrow."

 _Finally! I thought I was going to pass out._

Jason wearily drudged downstairs into the kitchen. He was instantly overpowered by the smell of chicken and garlic. Standing at the island was a tall, muscular man chopping tomatoes and humming to himself. If it hadn't been for the man's snow-white hair, Jason would've guessed that he was no older than 40.

"Hello." Jason said timidly. He wasn't normally so nervous about meeting people, but he was afraid this man would turn out to be just like Slade.

"Oh. I didn't hear you come in. Hello, Jason. My name is William Wintergreen, but you can call me Will. I'm Slade's butler."

"Okay, Will. You seem like a fine guy, so why are you working for Slade?"

"He's an old friend. We were in the army together. My salary's higher than most other hired help and he treats me like an equal. Speaking of Slade, how did your training go?"

"It was tiring and monotonous. I spent the last twelve hours firing a gun again and again."

"Well, Slade wants to prepare you for when you begin shooting at actual people."

Jason shuddered at that. He might shoot criminals, but he would never harm a civilian. He was sure Slade didn't have the same moral code.

"Oh, where are my manners? You must be starved! Slade insists that we eat together, but since he's not here, it'll be our little secret." Wintergreen said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

They sat down at the dining room table and ate chicken lasagna and garlic bread. It was one of the best meals Jason had had in a long time, even if he hasn't been starving. He felt a twinge of sadness as he remembered all the meals he had eaten with his adoptive family. Alfred always spent hours making his favorite dishes; they would spend time talking about how their day had been. They laughed, cried, and fought together as a family. As angry as Jason was with them, as much as he felt they no longer accepted him, he couldn't help but still love and miss them. Wintergreen asked him all about his previous life, which only made him miss it more.

There were only two things that consoled him: that Wintergreen was kind and might be a good ally, and that, for the moment, Slade was nowhere to be seen. But it was an uneasy peace; the more Jason thought about it, the more he became unnerved by Slade's absence.

"Do you know where Slade is?" Jason asked tentatively. He was still apprehensive about asking Wintergreen certain questions. But if Slade was planning something, he wanted to have an inkling of what was to come.

"Slade is busy getting supplies for a mission that he is embarking on next week. If your training goes according to plan, he will bring you with him. Don't get nervous yet; the mission is acquiring a rare artifact that was stolen not long ago. He plans on selling it back to the local museum. I know it sounds like an odd job for an assassin, but he is aware of your dislike of dispatching lives. He wants you to start off with a straight-forward job before you start shadowing him completely."

Jason sat in stony silence for a few minutes, turning this new information over in his head. On the one hand, he wouldn't have to kill people for a while longer, but on the other, he wasn't looking forward to spending his days training.

 _Still, it could be much worse. Slade hasn't threatened to hurt me yet, which is a miracle._

"You should go to sleep soon; you have many long days ahead of you and I want you to keep your strength up."

"Okay. Thank you for the nice dinner. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, I hope you sleep well."

Jason went to his room and sat on his bed, his head buzzing. He didn't know **what** to think. Maybe if he went on missions with Slade, he would be able to escape or find Dick or another Titan. _Am I that desperate?_ Jason thought disgustedly. His feelings began to overwhelm him; fear, confusion, loneliness, but the one that rose to the top surprised him: hope. The only thing that mattered now was staying safe and figuring out an exit strategy.

He lay down and pondered the last week. His adventure had just begun, but he was already tired of it.

 **A/N:** Wow that was a long chapter. I should have chapter 5 up by the 24th.


	5. Preparations

**A/N:** I know y'all are going to say it's okay that I don't post much, but I know it's annoying. I was having writer's block like crazy. Another slow(ish) chapter before we get to the mission. :D

 **Disclaimer:** You think I own DC? Hahaha. I wish. Then, nu52 would never have happened. If only…

 **Chapter** **5:** Preparations

 **5 a.m. PST, August 4** **th** **, 2011**

 _How much longer do I have to do this?_ Jason winced as he got out of bed. He ached from head to toe and was covered in bruises and scrapes. Over the last week, he had sparred, ran, and lifted weights for hours at a time, but he didn't feel faster, stronger, or more prepared. _He's just as tough on me as Bruce was. I'm not ready to die again just yet._ He laughed bitterly and began to walk toward the kitchen.

He was surprised not to find Wintergreen cooking away; instead he discovered a note on the counter: _Wintergreen and I are going over last minute details before we leave on Saturday. We will be indisposed until tonight. While we're gone, I want you to study fighting tactics. You'll find some books on that in the library. Don't get any ideas. – Slade_

Jason could almost hear Slade snarling at him through the note. After making himself some breakfast, he plodded over to the library. There were hundreds and hundreds of books, all on war, weaponry, and martial arts. He reluctantly picked up a book and began reading. _Not only is he beating me to a pulp, but he's making me read the most boring books on fighting tactics. I honestly don't know which is worse._ After a few tedious hours of studying the use of "new" weaponry during World War I, Jason got up, stretched his legs, and snuck out of the library. Slade was still nowhere to be seen.

Jason knew that there had to be an exit **somewhere**. He crept back to his room and gathered some supplies so he could make a quick getaway. He tried to break the window with a chair to no avail. _Shatterproof. Of course._ He began searching through each room for an exit, looking for a hidden switch or button that would reveal a door. Every so often, he would walk by Slade's study, just to make sure that he was still in there. The last thing Jason needed right now was for him to find out that he was trying to run away. After several minutes of fruitless investigating, he went back to the library and began reading again.

"Well, isn't this just **fantastic**? I have an opportunity to escape but have no freaking idea where an exit could be." He groaned as he sat staring at the ceiling waiting for the day to be over.

"Jason! Come here **now**!" _Oh, crap, what's wrong now?_

He nervously walked into the study, and found Slade glaring at him, obviously trying to hold back his desire to strike the young man.

"What? Why are you yelling at me _this_ time?"

"You explicitly disobeyed me. I told you to study, and yet, the camera in the library shows that you were gone for more than an hour."

Jason shrugged. "I was bored, so I decided to explore. If I'm going to be living here, I want to get more familiar with the place."

"Are you sure that was **all** you were trying to do? The cameras caught you searching the bottoms of statues, pulling books off the shelves, and flicking light switches dozens of times."

"Well, I was raised by the world's best detective. Can you blame me for being curious?" Jason smirked.

"I will suspend my disbelief and let it go… this time. But for your sake, I better never catch you doing this sort of thing again. Or there will be _consequences."_

Jason involuntarily shuddered, remembering the intense agony he felt as he was dying. He wondered if the pain Slade would inflict on him would make that seem mild in comparison. _I can't show fear. I won't. I'm not going to give him that satisfaction._

Slade chuckled cruelly and was undoubtedly about to boast of his dominance over Jason, when Wintergreen entered the study.

"I heard yelling all the way from the library. What's all the commotion about?"

"Nothing." Jason sighed. He trusted Wintergreen, but didn't want to confide in him in Slade's presence.

"I was just reminding Jason of who's in charge in this house."

Wintergreen sent his master a sharp look. "Sir, I think you need to clear your head. Jason isn't just a child you can push around and bully. Granted, he is rather headstrong and moody. Regardless of his behavior, he's still a grown man who deserves to be treated with respect. "

Slade walked over to Wintergreen, his face unreadable behind his mask. Jason was ready to intercede if things turned physical. Fortunately, his concern was unfounded; Slade put his hands on Wintergreen's shoulders and sighed tiredly.

"You know, Will, you have a point. I will try to be less severe with Jason, if, and _only_ if, he promises to follow my orders more exactly."

"Great! Now let's go eat dinner. I made a lovely pot roast and I don't want it to get cold."

"Dinner? It's only 4 o'clock." Jason said, perplexed.

"We're leaving at midnight. The last thing I need is for you to fall asleep in the middle of the mission, so you will be going to sleep right after dinner." Slade said testily.

They sat down at the table and began to eat. Several times, Jason wanted to break the silence, as it made him nervous, but every time, he lost his nerve. He did **not** need Slade to explode at him again, not when he had an opportunity to make a break for it. He was lost in his thoughts when he realized that Slade was motioning at him.

"What?"

"You're done eating. Go to bed. "

Jason said a quick 'good-night' to Wintergreen and went to his room.

He gathered up some clothes and the toiletries that Slade had provided him, pulled the curtains shut, and flopped down onto the bed. Even though it was still bright outside, he couldn't stay awake for long. For the first time in a week, he actually felt safe. Tomorrow, everything was going to change.

 **End note:** Next time, we get to the good stuff. It might take a little while, but hopefully, I'll have it up before Christmas. Comments are welcome as always. :D


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